Kenya launches fund to support peacekeeping operations

Kenya on Thursday launched a national peace support operations fund whose goal is to ensure that troops deployed to regional and global hotspots are adequately resourced and equipped.

Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said the fund, which was approved by the Cabinet in October 2023, will help Kenya fulfill its commitment to peace and stability overseas.

"This fund will address a critical need in our national defense strategy, the need to ensure our troops are properly aligned for the complexities pertaining to the contemporary peace support environment," Duale said during the peace fund launch in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital.

In the recent past, Kenya's contribution to foreign peacekeeping operations has encountered resource constraints, Duale noted, noting that domestic resource mobilisation will be key to equipping and motivating troops deployed to conflict zones overseas.

He stressed that every peacekeeping mission that Kenya is involved in has multiplier benefits including strengthening border security, economic growth and improved bilateral cooperation.

"With this fund in place, we are ensuring that our defense forces can rapidly deploy with the right equipment and competencies in a changing security environment," Duale said.

He added that Kenya will enhance cooperation with the international community to identify and neutralise security threats including armed insurgency, terrorism, piracy and trafficking of weapons.

The inauguration of the national peace operations fund aims to enhance skills, preparedness and application of modern technology by Kenyan troops deployed to war zones, said Defence Ministry Principal Secretary Patrick Mariru.

According to Mariru, Kenya seeks to leverage sustainable financing, partnership and peer learning in a bid to establish a peacekeeping force that can be deployed on short notice to restore order and stability in regions affected by strife.

Kenya Defense Force (KDF) Chief Francis Ogolla said that a national peace operations fund will boost the troops' operational capability, efficiency and alertness in the face of rapidly evolving security challenges.